Melanoma is quite a rare type of skin cancer, although it’s becoming more common in teenagers and young adults. It usually starts as a weird looking mole. It‘s called melanoma because it starts in skin cells called melanocytes that make a pigment (colouring) called melanin.
Melanin is what gives your skin its colour – the more melanin that these cells make, the darker your skin will be. A mole is a group of these cells that make lots of melanin. This looks like a dark patch on your skin.
Most melanomas develop on the skin on the legs, chest or back. In rare cases, people can get them in other parts of the body. There’s also a type that loses its pigment and can look white on your skin.
